78 TRICHOLOGIA MAMMALIUM; 
Brack Harr no Mark or Srreneru.—Among the last mentioned species it is generally 
supposed that black hair is indicative of strength; but the strongest hairs we have found 
are brown. It took 1,323 grains to break the hair of the head of the Quaker giant who 
was exhibited in this city in 1848, and 1,373 to break his wife’s. The brown hair of Mr. 
William Swain, took 1,573 grains to break it. 
Or THE VARIANCE IN COLOR BETWEEN THE Hair anp Eyres or Man.—Others have 
supposed that, in the same species, a predisposition to madness is to be found among those 
who have dark hair, especially if at the same time they have ght eyes. Dr. Benjamin 
Rush, (in Med. Enq. and Observ., upon the Diseases of the Mind,) says, “Mr. Halsam 
informs us that this was the case in 205 out of 265 patients in the Bethlehem Hospital. 
He intimates that it was possibly from their consisting chiefly of the natives of England, 
in whom that color of the hair is general; but the same connection between madness and 
dark colored hair has been discovered in the maniacs of the Pennsylvania Hospital, who 
consist of persons from three or four different countries, or of descendants who inherit 
their various physical characters. Of nearly 70 patients who were examined at my 
request, by Dr. Van Dyke, in our Hospital, in the year 1810, with a reference to this fact, 
all except one had dark colored hair. In the month of April, 1812, I requested Dr. Van 
Dyke to direct his inquiries more particularly to the color of the eyes in the maniacal 
department of our Hospital. He executed my request with great care and correctness, 
and discovered that 56 out of 79 of them had light eyes, of which number but six had 
fair hair.” 
Hoping to obtain some useful information upon this subject, we addressed a circular to 
the heads of the various Lunatic Asylums in the United States, but we have received but 
one answer, which we here introduce. 
Western Asytum, Va., June 15, 1850. 
My Dear Sir :— 
Yours, without date, was received some weeks since, and not answered earlier because of my many engagements. I 
had not considered insanity in its connection with the color of the hair and eyes, and, of course, am not prepared to express 
any opinion as to the correctness of the views of Dr. Rush, as contained in the extract furnished by you. In reply to your 
other queries I have to answer as follows: 
1. Patients now in this Institution, - - - - - - 265 
But that you might have a larger number, from whom to derive your inferences, I have, in order to answer your 2d and 
3d questions, examined our register and find, that since the 16th day of April, 1846, there have been received into the 
Institution, (patients, ) = = = : ~ 2 “ = 2 iS 32 
Of these, dark hair and dark eyes, - - - - - - 102 
Dark hair and light eyes, - - - - - = 96 
— 198 
Light hair, - - - - - - 128 
In haste, and respectfully yours, 
Francis T. Srripiine. 
f . 
Or Brown Pitz.—The English word brown, is from the Saxon, “brun,’” where it 
generally means the color produced upon the skin of a white man by the action of the 
sun. The French also call it “‘brun,” and define it to be, “le coleur tirans sur le noir.’’ 
